S3-E12.1 - NASH Care for Non-Hispanic Black Americans: The Issues and Why They Matter

Send us Fan MailHow do you discuss a disease with no history during Black History month? Surfing the NASH Tsunami asked, "What challenges exist for non-Hispanic Black Americans in the areas of NAFLD and NASH, given how low incidence is?" In this conversation, a corporate executive, not-for-profit patient champion and academic researcher discuss some of the reasons it is so important to identify and address these issues today.Yani Adere, NASH MSL at Novo Nordisk and the person who pitched the episode idea to Roger Green, kicks off this conversation by discussing issues that concern and motivate her, She notes that even with lower incidence than other racial groups, NASH is still the second leading cause of liver transplant in non-Hispanic blacks and that the course of the disease is similar in black and Caucasians. Next, Global Liver Institute Founder and CEO Donna Cryer notes that since NASH is a disease without much history, we can make Black History in realtime by introducing clinical trial protocols, treatment modalities and population screening programs that address specific challenges facing that community. Next, Dr. Zaki Sherif of Howard University notes that end-stage liver disease in non-Hispanic Black communities has two challenges: faster progression from cirrhosis to HCC than other groups and lower likelihood to receive a liver transplant. During the rest of this conversation, Dr. Ani Kardashian of the Keck School of Medicine at USC, Zaki and Donna comment on several addressable issues that explain why liver outcomes are lower for non-Hispanic Blacks than for other racial groups.